Loosely Tethered
by NatalyaShae
Summary: "900 galleons, going once…twice-" "901 galleons" Harry spoke softly. The reaction was instant. Those nearest to him spun on him wildly, while others gasped and let their jaws hit the floor. Harry drew back his hood and stared impassively at them all. Snape's reaction was rather priceless though. The man seemed torn between wanting to just off himself or pale drastically.


Harry James Black-Potter stalked the corridors that twist and turned making up the ministry. The Ministry was crowded with wizards and witches all heading for the same place. The Auction. Every single living death eater that was marked or found guilty was being sold at the highest bid as slaves. Azkaban was deemed unsuitable for the death eaters. The re-instated Minister Fudge- how that happened, Harry didn't know- had publically stated that such a prison was punish enough for the death eater, that living as slaves to their victims was a much more suitable alternative. In truth, however, was that the Ministry needed the money, Azkaban was not secure without the dementors, and Fudge and the Ministry needed the public on their side. Personally, Harry was disgusted with the way things were being dealt with. Luckily he had Hermione, who was against the slavery charade as much as he was. Madame Bones was already trying to veto such notions and come up with an alternative. It wasn't that Harry didn't think that the Death Eaters shouldn't get what they deserved; it was just that there was one man who was innocent. One man who had been a spy seen he was twenty-one, who was made to kill his father figure 'for the greater good', who had sacrificed more that what others never would. It was for this man that Harry Potter was clearing his way to the auction. He was going to buy Severus Tobias Snape.

Severus Snape with held a sneer as he was chained to one of the many chairs that sat on some sort of makeshift stage. It hadn't been here the last time he had come to the ministry. Then again, he wasn't in the same situation as he was in now. Slave? This is what he had been degraded to? He'd been forcibly branded on his left shoulder blade declaring him as such…He had tried to argue his innocence, to tell them that he was a spy for Albus, but no one had believed him. He was a proud man, he would not grovel begging for them to see the truth. He had merely masked his turmoil behind carefully build mask with the help of Occlumens. How he loved his magic. It was a shame as well as a scandal that his magic had been sealed and his wand taken. It would be up to his new 'master' whether or not he got it back. More than likely though, he'd be tortured to death by said new master. He swept his gaze through the crowd, noting familiar faces. He wondered, rather briefly, why someone would wear a hooded cloak here when this whole auction was in the publics good graces. He noted that whoever it was, held power and was standing partly in the shadows. He wondered if the person was here to kill one of them?

Harry saw many former students from Hogwarts here, more than likely wanting to get back at one of the Death Eaters by buying them. More than one seemed to have their eye of Snape, though. The looks of hate and malicious gazes angered him. Snape was a hero, and yet he sat there bound on a stage to be mocked and sold. After a good twenty minutes, the auction started. As much as he disagreed with it, he wasn't here to be a savior. He was here out of respect to the man that hated him. Harry watched as two ministry aurors, newbies, dragged Snape across the stage and made him kneel. Oh, Snape hadn't lost his touch with his glare though. If only looks could kill… Immediately, the bidding started. Harry listened as wizards and witched tried to out bid each other.

"500 galleons" a man declared, drawing the lead by 200 galleons. But Snape seemed to be a popular man, or death eater in the others eyes.

"650" A witch called standing; her fist holding her fan-Merlin only knew why she didn't just cast a cooling charm on herself.

"900 galleons" A smug man in the front row bided. Now, those who were bidding looked rather hesitant.

"900 galleons, going once…twice-"

"901 galleons" Harry spoke softly. The reaction was instant. Those nearest to him spun on him wildly, while others gasped and let their jaws hit the floor. Harry drew back his hood and stared impassively at them all. Snape's reaction was rather priceless though. The man seemed torn between wanting to just off himself or pale drastically at the thought of being 'THE Harry Black-Potter's' slave. The man who Harry bided against tipped his head to him, refusing to bid any further. The auctioneer looked over the crowd before nodding.

"Sold, to Mr. Black-Potter, you may collect your purchase immediately, sir" The auctioneer tells him. Harry gave the man a curt nod.

Harry stared at the 'auror' who handed him a leash that was hooked to a collar around Snape. The 'auror' seemed to want to impress him by shoving his old professor roughly enough for the man to fall to his knees right before him. Every eye seemed to be on him, waiting for his reaction or further torment.

"Get up" Harry told the prideful man, knowing that his offer of a helping hand up would be rejected. Whatever spell they put on the Death eaters making them slaves, made Snape obey him. Harry didn't bother looking to see if Snape was sneering angrily or if he was masking his emotions, he was busy staring at the 'auror' with an unnerving gaze.

"Mr. Black-Potter, we need you to make it official. If you'll just sign here?" A man said coming up before Harry could 'accidently' curse the 'auror'. Harry turned to the man and the document he was holding out for him. Quickly, he read it before nodding. He still needed to do a ritual with Snape making him his slave, but the document made it so in the eyes of the ministry. He signed added a drop of his blood that was required. He turned to Snape and drew his wand. He could see everyone watching him take Snape as a slave with gleeful expressions. They, no doubt, thought that he was vengeful for how Snape had treated him for all those years, and for him being a death eater…Harry smirked a little.

"I, Harry James Black-Potter, herby do declare possession of Severus Tobias Snape as my slave, and property. I accept his fortunes to be surrendered to myself in my family vaults. So note it be" Harry ended the ritual. Robes of green and gold encircled both him and Snape, recognizing the master-slave arrangement before evaporating.

"Congra-"

Harry grabbed Snape by the arm and apperated. Something that was impossible to do inside the Ministry, like Hogwarts.

Severus stood in what seemed to be a living room. It was clear that they were in Potter Manor. It had been redecorated though. It seemed that the place had honored all Hogwarts house colors rather than just Gryffindor's red and gold. Potter stood in front of him, staring at him with a masked look. Whatever Potter had been thinking, he came to a conclusion because he started to nod his head slightly. How he loathed being under the boy's control!

"Unfortunately, Prof. McGonagall wasn't able to prove your defense. You're bound to me as my slave until Hermione and Prof. McGonagall can find some sort of evidence to support your claim." Harry informed. Snape didn't show his surprise that Granger or Minerva were trying to free him. As far as he knew, both thought he was a death eater.

"I'm sure you'll enjoy your revenge against me. Does it satisfy you, to what I've been reduced to?" Snape couldn't help but snarl. Potter didn't react to his jibe, instead he scratched his brow with his thumb.

"I'm glad you're still the same." Potter muttered before tossing him something. Snape caught it and looked…it was his wand.

"Just don't hex me or try to kill me, yeah?" was all Potter said before turning his back on him. What was Potter doing? He was the boys slave!

"Potter" Snape hissed causing the boy to stop midstride.

"What…(Oh, this was killing him to ask) are your rules?" Snape asks through clenched teeth. Potter turned and faced him fully.

"Don't get caught"

Harry woke with a start. His wand in hand as his eyes scanned his surroundings. No one…it was just…Harry shook his head before casting a 'tempus'. It was four in the morning. He ran a hand through his hair. He remembered yesterday, when he told Snape not to get caught. It had been amusing, to say the least. The man had been so composed, resentful and angry sure, but composed until he had said that. The shock couldn't have been masked quick enough! Harry allowed himself a small smile before he rose from his bed. He wouldn't get anymore sleep anyways.

He stood in front of the man that hated him even more than before in confusion. He shook his head.

"What are you doing?" Harry asks. The said man was sitting on the couch, had been when he entered the room, just staring at a wall!

"Sitting, Potter. Unless you wish me to sit on the floor" Snape scowled. While Harry could force the man to sit on the floor, he sure as hell wasn't going to. His own status as a slave to his relatives and a freak didn't allow him the same or remotely similar rights as 'normal' folk.

"Profess-"

"I am NOT your Professor any longer, Potter. That is the only good thing I have seen yet" Snape sneered. Harry sighed.

"Let me rephrase then, why are you not sleeping in one of the bedrooms?" Harry asks. Snape glared death daggers at him.

"WHAT?!" Harry snapped. Snape looked like he was contemplating whether or not to just kill himself again.

"Potter, I am, whether I like it or not, your slave. Unless you give me express permission to have such luxury as private quarters, I am unable to lay claim to any. My rights are non existent." Snape explained…well…more like snapped but still…Harry stared at the former Head of Slytherin.

Potter looked like he wanted to strangle someone. It would have been amusing; Snape admitted to himself, had the boy not been within his rights to do just that to _him_. He been forced to sit in the same room he'd been introduced to by the 'bond'. He wouldn't even fall asleep unless he wished to be humiliated even further.

"Snape, I hereby give you full freedoms as my equal in Potter Manor." Potter spoke, before he went off cursing. He blinked; surely Potter didn't just-

"Potter, you're an idiot"

"HOW COULD YOU HARRY? A SLAVE?!" Harry listened to Hermione rant and yell at him for over ten minutes. Ron has given him several sympathetic looks during the scolding but didn't seem overly fazed. Ron didn't agree with the whole 'let's make death eaters a slave' thing but he wasn't nearly as passionate in the rejection of said idea as Hermione. Snape was forced to be in the same room as Harry, therefore, forced to listen along as well.

"Hermione, does he look like he's being treated like a slave?" Harry finally snapped. Snape had to give that to Potter, at least. Sure, he said it was idiotic of the boy, but that didn't mean he didn't like his new found 'freedom'. Hermione eyed Snape up and down before clenching her jaw and giving a slight shake of her head.

"Are you any closer to finding a way to break the bond?" Harry asks after a minute of silence. Now this got Snape's abrupt attention.

"No, the ritual sews both your magic together and bind's it. By all means, you literally hold the Professors life at your command." Hermione sniffed.

"Miss. Granger, I'm not your Professor so please, stop calling me that" Snape hissed. Hermione blushed at her mistake and nodded, refusing to look the man in the eye.

"What about Bill? He's a cursebreaker right? Do you think he could undo or nullify the spell?" Harry asks Ron.

"Not for something like this. Bonds are different than wards or even spells." Ron replied neutrally. All three could tell that Harry/Potter looked like he wanted to bash the back of his head against a wall a few times.

"Even if you were able to somehow break the bond, Potter, it would do me no good." Snape interrupted their musings of 'freeing' him. Potter glared rather harshly at him.

"And why's that?" Potter asks.

"My status, Potter, is slave. Slaves loose all titles, rights and inheritance. Even if you freed me, I'd still me a slave. I'd merely be resold to a new…master. The best case scenario is for me to go on the run to the muggle world, but even then…" Snape trailed off. He didn't need to inform any of them that he'd be hunted down like a dog because of being a former death eater.

"I guess we're back to square one, then" Hermione sighed. Ron nodded in agreement, but Potter merely watched him. Snape didn't know what it was in potter's gaze, but it was off somehow.


End file.
